Zohran Mamdani is officially the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, and worldwide, people are excited thanks to his engaging social media campaign, which has made him the man of the people.
It's possible that you came across a well-documented video of a South Asian man speaking in Hindi about the NYC elections being only 20 days away. If you haven't, you are definitely living under a rock! As someone living in Mumbai, India, New York's mayor's elections should probably not affect me but Zohran Mamdani's entire social media campaign makes it feel like my business. This candidate, who has now become a favourite among South Asians worldwide, runs a campaign that is a masterclass in how to use social media effectively as a politician, and we all need to learn from it.
New York City, the concrete jungle where dreams are made, has long been romanticized by films and television as a land of endless opportunity, where both, the working class and the wealthy thrive in a vibrant, dynamic setting. Behind the glossy portrayal of NYC lies the reality about the city’s complex political landscape and the unaesthetic truths of everyday life that are often ignored and less discussed. This was spotlighted for many, especially the ones outside New York, with this year’s mayoral elections.
Anyone following the race knows that Zohran is unlike his fellow candidates. He possesses qualities that people wish their leaders had, youth being one of them. At 33, he is not only appealing in appearance, something many have noticed and appreciated, but also has a creative approach that has connected with people. As the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and academic, political theorist Mahmood Mamdani, he meets expectations with a campaign that talks directly to this digitally savvy generation, in a language we speak and understand.
While many leaders attempt to connect with the youth through social media, not everyone has been able to crack the code. Their strategies are often limited to memes or making edits that show them in what kids refer to as ‘main character energy’. Mamdani, however, being from a generation that is more familiar with social media, effectively utilizes it to convey his message.
Taking to his online audience, who only pay attention to anything that is less than 1 minute, he delivers messages that make the explicit socialist elements of his Democratic party understandable while presenting them in easily digestible portions. While his opponents stuck to their usual political rhetoric, Mamdani decided to sound and represent every New Yorker while focusing on his messaging. All of them continue to highlight his support for the working class and his plans to improve their lives. His campaign's effectiveness is evident when you can list his agendas, which include making city buses free and freezing rent for existing units. Imagine being in India and still seeing his videos pop up on your explore page, smiling at the edits of his speech where he calls out Cuomo while highlighting his name. Trust me, you won't forget Mamdani anytime soon.If people are sitting in a remote place in India and still finding his victory as the Democratic nominee for Mayor share worthy, it should speak volumes about his impact. Despite it having zero impact on their lives, people have found hope that young liberal minds can find their platform in a space that is consumed by old generations if they put in the effort.
Mamdani's campaign has been successful in establishing a personality that is both authoritative and cool, making him approachable. He comes across as the kind of person everyone wants to be friends with, which is why young people, including influencers, choose a side in this political strife and are eager to support him. Highlighting his efforts to support the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in 2021 while taking a taxi in a TikTok show, talking about the LGBTQIA+ and the trans community, eating a donut on Twitch with Hasan Piker while discussing his agendas, are all examples of how our leaders can use the digital platforms and its microcelebrities to get their policies and ideas across.
We know for a fact that things shared online are forever, and people are always looking to find some dirt, especially if someone is running in an election. This, however, works in Mamdani's favour. Ifyousearch deeply enough, you can findhis videos where he wentby the moniker Young Cardamon or Mr. Cardamon, featuringraps that are notonlycatchy but also add an edge to his already magnetic personality.
There is an openness to how Mamdani appears online, something that resonates with this generation, which is always searching for authenticity in people. This openness has encouraged them to get involved in local politics - something they might have otherwise avoided. His constant presence on our feeds has made them want to discuss him on social media, just as it was meant to do. He has become another trending topic they can talk about, not only to seem cool but also to feel a sense of achievement for contributing to something that could bring about change.
No matter how well his team managed to work on his digital campaign, we can also agree that his success in the mayoral primary was also because of his discipline as a leader who never shied away from showing his radical-socialist politics. Mamdani infused his culture and owned up to being an immigrant, connecting to his voters who belonged to different backgrounds. While his fellow candidates tried to focus and pitch the idea of crime and antisemitism that his victory could bring, he focused on relating to the working class and offering to satisfy their needs.
Do you think other leaders can learn from his campaign too? Share your thoughts with us!
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